Hinge for luggage and luggage device

ABSTRACT

An improved luggage hinge is disclosed comprising a pair of leaves adapted to be secured to the halves of a piece of luggage or like apparatus, the hinge being characterized by an antifriction roller element depending from each hinge leaf, the roller elements being offset with respect to the folding axis of the hinge. A piece of luggage having a pair of such hinges appended thereto may be fully opened without interference of the roller elements of the hinges. In the closed position, the luggage may be readily transported by being translated along a horizontal surface on the anti-friction rollers.

United States Patent [191 Rodgers 14 1 Mar. 19, 1974 HINGE FOR LUGGAGE AND LUGGAGE DEVICE Inventor: Ralph Rodgers, 333 Ridgeway,

White Plains, NY. 10605 Filed: Sept. 18, 1972 Appl. No.: 290,077

US. Cl 0. 16/137, 190/18, 16/24 Int. Cl B60b 33/08, EOSd 11/00 Field of Search 190/18 A; 16/24, 25, 137,

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Denslow 16/25 Primary E.raminerBobby R. Gay

Assistant Examiner-Doris L. Troutman Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Mark T. Basseches; Paula T. Basseches [5 7] ABSTRACT An improved luggage hinge is disclosed comprising a pair of leaves adapted to be secured to the halves of a piece of luggage or like apparatus, the hinge being characterized by an anti-friction roller element depending from each hinge leaf, the roller elements being offset with respect to the folding axis of the hinge. A piece of luggage having a pair of such hinges appended thereto may be fully opened without interference of the roller elements of the hinges. In the closed position, the luggage may be readily transported by being translated along a horizontal surface on the anti-friction rollers.

2 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PAIENTED MR) 9 I974 Sam 1 or 2 HINGE FOR LUGGAGE AND LUGGAGE DEVICE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1 Field of the Invention The present invention is in the field of an improved hinge for luggage and the resultant improved luggage.

2. The Prior Art It is known to provide luggage wherein the luggage halves are hingedly interconnected. It is also known to provide anti-friction rollers adapted to be secured to an edge or edges of a piece of luggage, to facilitate or enable sliding movement of the luggage while the same is supported on a horizontal surface.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention may be summarized as relating to an improved hinge for luggage incorporating antifriction rollers as a component of the hinge. The rollers are specially fabricated to provide minimum rolling friction, one roller being fixed to each of the two leaves ofthe hinge component, the rollers of each hinge being offset from each other as respects the folding axis of the hinge, whereby when the luggage is opened, clearance is provided between the rollers so that the same do not interfere with a full and flat opening ofa suitcase or the like.

The offsetting of the rollers has the further beneficial effect of providing increased stability when the suitcase is slid along a horizontal surface, to minimize the chance or possibility of upsetting the luggage as the same may traverse an irregularity in the horizontal surface.

When the suitcase is supported on the anti-friction rollers, stresses are applied to the suitcase directly through the hingestructure, thereby minimizing the likelihood of warping of the luggage, such as occurs where the rollers are affixed to the luggage at a position remote from the hinges.

It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide an improved hinge for a suitcase or like piece of luggage, the hinge incorporating an especially formed roller as a component thereof.

Still a further object of the invention is the provision of a hinge of the type described having a roller assembly which may be economically produced and which has a low coefficient of friction, to facilitate sliding along a horizontal surface. I

Still a further object of the invention is the provision of a hinge of the type described which incorporates anti-friction rollers which are 50 positioned as not to interfere with the full opening of a suitcase or like luggage article to which the same may be attached.

Still a further object of the invention is the provision of an improved hinge of the type described wherein a suitcase to which the same is applied is less likely to be upset as the same is moved along a horizontal surface.

To attain these objects and such further objects as may appear herein or be hereinafter pointed out, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a suitcase or like luggage article incorporating the novel hinge structure of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a magnified horizontal section taken .on the line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

' suitcase or like article of luggage which, in the usual manner, consists of or comprises first and second half sections 11 and 12, hingedly connected by the combination hinge and anti-friction roller elements 13 of the presentinvention. In the usual manner, a handle or bail 14 may be mounted to the upper surface 15 of the case.

As best seen in FIG. 5, the hinge structure includes first and second leaf members 16, 17. In conventional manner, the leaf 16 includes spaced projecting tabs 18 which have been bent into coaxial cylindrical configurations to form the hinge eyes. In like manner the tabs 19 of the leaf 17 are bent to a cylindrical configuration, it being understood that a pivot pin (not shown) is permanently contained within the bent defining tabs 18 and 19 to permit the leaves to pivot through an angle of at least about 180 relative to each other.

Optionally and preferably, the under or suitcase adjacent face 20 of the leaves is provided with a depending perimeteral flange 21 which, in the attached position of the hinge, will lie against the under surface 22 of the case. The leaves of the hinge are formed with the conventional countersunk attachment apertures 23.

As best appreciated from an inspection of FIG. 5, the tip 24 of the leaf I6 is longitudinally offset from the tip 25 of the leaf 17, the offset being in the direction of the axis of the pivot pin.

Te roller bearing assemblies 26, 27 are secured to the offset tip portions 24 and 25, respectively, in such manner that the leaves 16, 17 may be opened substantially 180 from a coplanar position without interference between the roller assemblies26, 27 carried on the ends 24 and 25, respectively. It will thus be appreciated that the rollers will not interfere with a full opening of the article of luggage.

Details of the roller assemblies are most readily apparent from an inspection of FIGS. 3 and 4. The assemblies include a roller barrel 28 having a generally cylindrical body portion, the roller barrel terminating in a roller retainer flange 29. A spherical roller member 30 is disposed within the barrel, the radius of the roller 30 being so related to the aperture 31 at the lower end of the retainer flange 29 as to project a substantial distance below the flange.

At the upper end 32 of the barrel, there are formed a series of spacer tabs 33 and mounting tabs 34. While three spacer tabs and three mounting tabs are shown in the illustrated embodiment, it will be appreciated that this number is not critical to the successful operation of the device.

The roller retainer cap 35 is generally circular in conformation and includes a central concavity 36, the cap serving as a seat or retainer for the anti-friction balls 37. The retainer cap 35 includes at its outer periphery a series of locator spaces 38, which spaces are so dimensioned as to receive the locking tabs 34 and the spacer tabs 33, so that the retainer is non-rotatably mounted over the open end 39 of the barrel 28.

A series of anti-friction balls 37 are disposed between the retainer cap 35 and the roller 30, the balls being pressed outwardly toward the side walls of the barrel and upwardly toward the cap 35 when pressure is exerted against the roller 30. The clearances between the parts are such that the balls 37 cannot escape from the noted position.

The hinge leaves 16 and 17 include spaced locking slots 40, adapted to receive the mounting tabs 34, the leaves preferably including a concavity 41 within which may be seated the central concavity formed on the cap 35. It will be appreciated that when the device is assembled in the manner described and the tabs 34 are bent inwardly over the inner surface 20 of the leaf 16, the above described parts of the roller assembly are inseparably integrated.

It will be appreciated that while the roller barrel and hinge leaves are illustrated as comprising separate elements, the barrel may be formed as an integral component of the hinge.

In the embodiment illustrated thirteen anti-friction balls are shown in the position between the roller 31 and the cap 35, it being readily understood that this number is not critical and may be varied as required.

The hinge sleeves per se may be secured to the under surface 22 of the case with the use of blind rivets 42 extending through the attachment apertures 23, or by any comparable securing mechanism,

The completed case as shown in FIG. 1 may be opened without interference between the anti-friction members or roller assemblies 26, 27 by reason of the offset relation thereof. it will be further apparent that the case may be readily moved along a horizontal surface by placing the case with the face 22 disposed parallel with the ground and gripping the handle or bail 14, whereby the case may be shifted along the ground with minimum frictional interference due to the rollers 30.

The fact that the roller assemblies 26 and 27 are offset one from the other in the direction of the length of the case will facitate rolling since an obstruction along the horizontal surface will not be simultaneously encountered by both of the lead rollers but, rather, will be encountered first by one and then by another of the said rollers, minimizing upsetting influences.

From the foregoing it will be observed that there is shown and described a novel hinge construction and luggage incorporating the same, which luggage does not have the unattractive commercial appearance presented by luggage incorporating roller mechanisms heretofore known. The anti-friction rollers are incorporated unobtrusively in the hinges, and do not project substantially beyond the surface of the luggage.

The hinge construction may be economically produced and attached in a conventional manner, affording the benefits of a roller or anti-friction construction without substantial additional expense.

Having thus described the invention and illustrated its use, what is claimed as new and is desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A luggage hinge device comprising, in combination, first and second generally planar leaf members having first end portions connected together for pivotal movement about a hinge axis through an arc of at least about said leaf members each including a luggage engaging face and an exposed face, an anti-friction bearing including a freely rotatable spherical bearing member fixed to and extending beyond the exposed face of each said leaf member, said bearing members being offset one from the other in the direction of said pivot axis, whereby said hinges may be folded from a coplanar, aligned position to a folded position in which leaf from all portions of the other leaf in said folded position of said leaves. 

1. A luggage hinge device comprising, in combination, first and second generally planar leaf members having first end portions connected together for pivotal movement about a hinge axis through an arc of at least about 180*, said leaf members each including a luggage engaging face and an exposed face, an antifriction bearing including a freely rotatable spherical bearing member fixed to and extending beyond the exposed face of each said leaf member, said bearing members being offset one from the other in the direction of said pivot axis, whereby said hinges may be folded from a coplanar, aligned position to a folded position in which said exposed faces are in a substantially parallel adjacent position without interference between said bearing members.
 2. The device of claim 1 wherein said offset is of a sufficient extent to clear the bearing member of each leaf from all portions of the other leaf in said folded position of said leaves. 